Scripting Apple Apps

Abstract

In OS X’s first year or two of existence, things were a bit hectic. Apple Computer was in the midst of its largest OS rollout ever, and it was scrambling to get applications out to hungry users. Us AppleScripters, we were just happy that AppleScript was going strong in OS X and improvements were made on a monthly basis. What we didn’t like so much was that none of the shiny new applications called iApps were scriptable. Now, a few years later, things have changed for the better: not only are iTunes, iPhoto, iCal, Mail, and Address Book are all scriptable, but the implications are that scripters now have access to the databases used by Apple to manage contacts, music, and mail.